New study: you can boost key hormones without leaving your desk by doing simple moves

Did you know one solution for feeling better, boosting your outlook and even improving your job performance could be as simple as adopting a powerful pose for a few minutes?

Recently the Wall Street Journal reported that researchers found practicing what they call “high power poses” such as standing erect, leaning slightly forward with your hands at your side, or leaning over a desk with your hands assertively planted on the desktop can actually boost your testosterone level and decrease levels of cortisol, the key hormone associated with body-damaging stress.

What can boosting testosterone do for you? Studies show bringing women’s testosterone up to their youthful levels is linked to improved performance and greater confidence and assertiveness.

In addition, when testosterone is at optimal levels, women can experience enhanced brainpower. According to a 2013 study, women who had higher testosterone levels performed better at a variety of cognitive tasks involving memory, visual attention, and executive function, including analytical thinking and financial decision-making. Moreover, in a 2009 study, women who had higher testosterone levels showed more willingness to take risks, and demonstrated greater skill at out-of-the-box problem solving skills.

So next time you’re preparing to go into a meeting, setting out for a job interview, or any time you need to feel unstoppable, take a few minutes, stand tall and assertively, in what the study’s researchers call an “expansive, open posture,” and let your body bring you naturally to peak performance.